Time is Up
by lmowens
Summary: Josh has to face his feelings for Donna when he feels threatened by a love triangle. First fanfic, R&R. Chapter 2 up.
1. Chapter 1

Thursday

11:55 am

"Donna!"

"Hmm?" Donna mumbled inaudibly from her desk, sifting through Josh's messages from that morning.

"Donna!" Josh entered the hall looking for his assistant. "Donna, I was calling you."

"No, you were shouting and I'm protesting. I'm not a Labrador, Josh." She barely looked up at him and didn't notice his rising level of aggravation.

"Whatever. Can you get me the Brighton testimony?" he reentered his office when…

"No."

"Excuse me?" he came back out to her desk.

"I said no. Didn't you get Leo's memo? I taped it to your computer screen."

"Let's say I haven't."

"You're working with classified files and budget plans. You have to use the staff from Appropriations."

"Oh." Josh thought for a second and then said, "Well then, make my calls to Congress and type that memo to CJ."

"Mr. Lyman, contrary to what you may think, I do not need to be told what to do minute by minute. The calls have been made, the memo typed, and I will be away from my desk for the rest of the day," Donna replied matter of fact.

"Where are _you_ going?" he began to get defensive.

"Lunch… with Sam. He needs my invaluable assistance." She had not let Josh's bad mood get to her. "I'll be in his office if you need me." As she walked away from her boss, she turned slightly and over her shoulder and said, "Cheer up, Joshua."

Thursday

12:12 pm

"What's Josh up to?" Sam asked moving towards his desk with an armful of files and reams of paper.

Donna followed closely behind Sam into his office carrying two to-go containers of chicken salad from the mess. "He's up to his earwax in appropriations testimonies." Donna checked her watch. "Then, meeting on the Hill at two-thirty, meeting with Leo and the President at four," she recited Josh's schedule robotically, "…sorry…habit."

"He doesn't need your help with the hearings?" Sam wondered why Josh's assistant wasn't assisting Josh.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Donna eyed her friend playfully. "Look, you can't do this on your own. You're good, Sam, but nobody's _that_ good. Bonnie is on maternity leave and Toby is dictating a speech to Ginger. Even though I am your _last_ choice," she gestured wildly with her arms, "I'm the only one ya got." Donna crunched down on a celery stick. "Besides, most of the stuff he's dealing with is code word classified." CRUNCH.

"Donna, I don't consider you my last choice," Sam pouted. "I wanted to make sure you weren't in the wrong place. I'm looking out for you. Anyway, Josh might get jealous," he added the last part under his breath.

"I'm sorry? Josh, jealous? He probably would not have realized I was gone if I hadn't told him when I left." CRUNCH.

Sam smirked at that but said nothing. They began sorting through the files at a steady pace. Occasionally taking mini breaks to eat their lunches, Sam and Donna conversed casually, mostly about work and their friends in the West Wing.

Thursday

4:55 pm

Leo and Josh walked out of the Oval Office. Josh was rubbing his temples. "-I know, Leo. But this is amateur hour!" Josh was whining about his involvement with the testimonies. "It's like a circus. I'm the ring leader and I only make two dollars an hour to stand near dangerous animals."

"Well, I don't understand that analogy, but all I can tell you is that a senior staffer is required to review the testimonies. You are a lawyer. And, let's not forget the fact that the President specifically asked that you be said staffer."

"Hey man," Josh greeted Charlie as he passed his desk outside the oval.

"Hey guys." Charlie barley lifted his head in acknowledgement.

"Alright, it's almost five, I'm gonna get back to my desk…work for a little while longer."

"Yeah. I'll be in my office." Leo patted Josh on the back and walked off.

"Yeah," came the glum reply.

Thursday night

10:00 pm

A single light on Sam's phone lit up followed by a shrill ring that made Donna nearly jump out of her seat.

"Sam Seaborn."

"Hey Sam, I was hoping you'd still be here. How's the research going?" Josh's voice did nothing to conceal his exhaustion.

"Going great, actually. I didn't realize how late it was getting." Sam put Josh on speaker and put the hand piece in its cradle. "Thanks for letting me borrow Donna, she's been very helpful." He looked over at Donna and smiled.

"Hi Josh!" Donna yelled from the other side of Sam's desk. Her shoes had long since come off and her legs were tucked up underneath her. She was making notecards out of the three or four files on her lap.

Josh's head popped off his desk. "Donna? What the hell are you still doing there?" His tone was too harsh and he knew it but he still made no effort to retract.

"I'm working!" She snapped back.

"I lost track of time, Josh, it's my fault. Do you need her?"

_Wow, what an incredibly complicated question_, Josh thought. "No…" he breathed out heavily, "sorry, I'm just cranky- ready to leave. You want to grab a beer?"

"Oooh! Can I come?" Donna chimed in, feeling her good mood come back to her like a boomerang.

"Sure, Donna, you can come," Sam replied without missing a beat, a little too quickly for Josh's taste.

"Um, yeah. You two meet me there in about fifteen minutes." Click.

Donna and Sam stared at each other awkwardly. After a few seconds of complete silence, Sam got up and reached for Donna's coat and scarf. "Let's go."

Thursday night

10:30 pm

Donna headed to the bathroom weaving her way in and out of the crowd at the aptly named Jefferson Bar at which she met Josh and Sam. She was met with a line ten women long and reluctantly got behind a stout red head.

Back at their table, Sam made small talk with Josh. "So when will you be done with the assignment the President hand-picked you for."

"Why?" Josh asked Sam shortly, taking a long swig of his beer letting the tip of the long neck linger near his mouth.

"Just curious. Well…I'm just wondering, too…well, I may need Donna tomorrow too. If you're still going to be tied up." Sam stammered nervously though he didn't fully understand why.

"Um, yeah…you can have her." Josh hesitated.

"I ask because, I don't know, you seem a little peeved."

"No… no. It's fine, Sam. I'm just a little stressed. This assignment is so tedious. Easy… but tiring, you know?" Josh drank again, "And it's not like I'm getting any help."

"Josh, the files are classified," Sam started. "She can't—"

"I'm kidding, Sam," Josh offered unconvincingly.

Awkward silence ensued. Both men sat sipping their beers, staring off in opposite directions but thinking about the same thing. Several minutes passed.

"So, you two worked nine hours and aren't finished reading and sorting through a stack of, what, two hundred files, tops?" Josh knew he should stop interrogating his friend, but his third beer was beginning to take over his delicate system.

"Josh, what's going on?" There was brief pause and when Josh started to tell Sam _exactly_ what was wrong, Donna showed up with three more beers.

"God, the bathrooms in this place are truly disgusting." She plopped down on her chair next to Sam and across from Josh. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing," Sam said.

"You," Josh stared at her over his beer, answering at the same time as Sam.

Her exceptionally large eyes grew larger, "What?"

"I'm ready to go…I can't deal with this tonight."

Donna's forehead wrinkled up. She thought Josh was kidding. He stumbled out of his chair and lurched forward attempting to put on his coat. Struggling with the right sleeve, he gave up and slung it over his shoulder. Instinctively, Donna snatched his keys off the table where he'd set them earlier.

Josh turned and looked her squarely in the eyes with a hateful glare. "Don't worry, mom, I'll walk." He hurled the insult at her wanting for just a moment for it to hurt. Her eyes welled up and when he realized he had succeeded, his gaze fell to the floor and he staggered out of the bar. The cool air hit him hard when he stepped out coatless. It felt good for a moment but didn't clear his fuzzy, drunken thoughts. He was mad as hell, but why? He felt threatened, but why? Josh got into bed without undressing. He quickly fell into a tense, fist-clenching sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

So nervous about my first post, guess I forgot a few things last time…

Title: Time is Up (I hate how you have to pick a title when you post your first chapter, seems a bit premature.)

Disclaimer: I think all of the cute and clever ways to say 'it's not mine, don't sue me' have been taken. So here it is: it's not mine, don't sue me.

Author's note: I have been a fan of West Wing since the beginning, but it was not until the first DVD came out that I became a diehard. I adore the characters of Josh and Donna. Donna is quirky and elegant, Josh is egotistical and vulnerable. This story doesn't fit into any particular timeline except to say that it is obviously before Sam leaves.

CHAPTER TWO

Friday morning, 5:30

Josh's alarm went off routinely. He undressed, showered, and redressed hurriedly and was ready to walk to the White House by six. The walk would take fifteen or twenty minutes and that would give him some time. Time. Yeah, that's what he needed. Time to think about Donna. And Sam. _Donna and Sam. _The thought made his head hurt. Then again, it could be the slight hangover he was still battling. _Three beers and a slight hangover three hours later? Donna was right, I do have a delicate system. _Josh left and used his spare key to lock the deadbolt. He slipped it deep into his trench coat pocket before the urge to run back to the safety of his bedroom overwhelmed him.

"Hey buddy, how ya feeling?" Josh walked past the front security desk to find none other than Sam waiting on him.

"You're here early," he ignored the question, finding it difficult to be civil. The walk to work had yielded no new ideas or thoughts on the Sam and Donna situation. All he knew was that their sudden closeness made him uncomfortable. And he had to stop it.

"I wanted to be certain that Donna and I could finish today so I asked her to meet me here at six." Josh's eyebrows shot skyward but he said nothing. Glancing at Sam as they walked toward his office, Josh could see that he looked genuinely concerned. This softened Josh but only slightly. "Anyway," Sam continued, "I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You got a little worked up last night at the bar."

"Yeah…listen Sam, yesterday was a weird day for me, beginning to end." He hoped Sam wouldn't press for details. Josh stopped when he reached Donna's vacant desk; he scooped up his calendar. "Where is she?"

"My office. She went to get us breakfast so I thought I'd take a minute and come over –"

"Yeah. She mad at me?" Josh was at his desk now with Sam standing on the opposite side. He turned on his computer and sat down on a hard lump of metal. His keys.

"Donna hasn't said much to me about last night. When she got here this morning I said, 'Sleep well?' and she looked at me for a moment then said, 'He had too much.' And that was that." Sam cleared his throat loudly attempting to fill the awkward silence as Josh processed what he'd said. "If there is anything you want to talk about…"

"I've got to get back to this," Josh said quickly, gesturing toward the papers and folders on his desk. "Can you ask her to come meet me for lunch?"

"Okay." Sam turned and walked out, calling over his shoulder, "Cheer up, Josh."

"Yeah," Josh whispered to himself. With his head in his hands, he pressed his thumbs deep into his temples. His thoughts quickly turned to Donna. His assistant. His friend. Hell, his _best_ friend. Could she be more…_mean_ more to him? _I need aspirin. _

Friday morning, 11:37

"I wish you were in charge of my salary, Sam." Donna moved the few remaining files on her lap to the finished pile on the floor. Sam had been so appreciative of her help and she felt needed, something she had not felt in a long time. She liked that feeling.

"Josh is not in charge of your salary, Donna." Sam understood exactly where the conversation was eventually headed.

"I know he's not in _charge_ per say, but you'd think he could make a recommendation or something."

"Donna, you have done a terrific job for me these past two days, I appreciate it. I know that it seems that Josh doesn't value you sometimes, but he does…in his own way. You just have to trust me on this one." Sam took off his glasses and glanced over at her. _She is a good assistant, _he thought to himself. _She deserves a pick me up. _But Sam did not want to get into too much detail about what Josh has and hasn't said about her.

"Trust you, Sam? I don't know, is there a good reason to?" Donna was being smart but she didn't care.

"I'm your colleague. I'm your friend. I'm Josh's colleague and friend. I've never given you a reason not to…"

"Okay, okay… you don't have to actually list the reasons. Smart ass."

This made Sam chuckle. Then Donna began to laugh. After a minute or two, she decided it felt good to laugh like that. She'd been so swamped lately and with what happened last night…it simply felt good to laugh.

"Alright, it looks like we're done here." Sam finally said, looking around at the piles on the floor.

"Yeah, just in time for lunch. You hungry?"

"Lunch! I almost forgot. Josh wanted you to meet him."

"What are _you_ doing for lunch?" Donna all but ignored the offer.

"I was going to meet CJ at that new deli on third, but she cancelled on me. I'll probably just go down to the mess."

"Let's go to the deli." Donna stood up and straightened her skirt.

"What about Josh?"

"Look Sam," her tone was exaggerated and she waved her arms wildly. "I can't deal with him right now. No… not can't, _won't_. I'm in a good mood. Let's go celebrate our big accomplishment."

"Ooo—kay," Sam hesitated but stood up and helped her into her coat. "But I think that you should go see Josh and maybe straighten things out when we get back."

"We'll see."

Friday, 12:15 pm

Josh entered the Communications bullpen tentatively. His limbs were shaky and he felt nauseous from what he assumed was adrenaline. Or it could be the potential results of what he was about to do. In his hands was a thoughtfully written out message scrawled on a hallmark card and a bouquet of yellow roses.

"Josh." He turned to see Ginger at her desk watching him.

"Ginger. Could you go into Sam's office and get Donna, please?" his voice quivered, barely above a whisper.

"Donna's not here."

His face fell. "What? Where the hell is she?"

"She and Sam went to lunch. About twenty minutes ago."

"She went to lunch with Sam." It was more of a statement than a question. He and Ginger both glanced down at his bouquet. "Okay." Visibly defeated, without looking back up, he slowly turned and walked back to his office. _She went to lunch with Sam._

TBC


End file.
